


Happy Halloween

by ami_ven



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: mcsheplets, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-03
Updated: 2014-11-03
Packaged: 2018-02-23 23:13:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2559314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ami_ven/pseuds/ami_ven
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The pumpkins were blue, but they made good jack-o-lanterns.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Halloween

**Author's Note:**

> written for LJ community "mcsheplets" prompt #188 "Halloween"

“But _why_?” Torren asked.

John grinned, but kept his eyes on the blue pumpkin-like gourd he was disemboweling, as Rodney spluttered to explain that, no, candy corn _did not_ grow into candy corn plants.

Pretty much as soon as Torren had learned to talk, he’d realized that Rodney would readily answer any and all questions. Occasionally, he started on long-winded scientific rants, but one confused frown from Torren was enough to make Rodney simplify his terms and grab whatever was at hand for visual aids.

“And you’re sure it won’t grow _at all_ , Uncle Rodney?” said Torren.

“No,” said Rodney. “It’ll just melt. It’s better if you eat them.”

“Hey, guys,” said John. “Time to carve the faces.”

“You’re not going to give him a knife, are you?” Rodney hissed. “He’s three years old, Sheppard!”

“Of course not,” said John, holding up a marker. “Torren, do you want your pumpkin to have round eyes or triangle eyes?”

“Round,” said Torren, and watched while John drew them.

“Big nose or little nose?”

“Big!”

“Round or square?”

Hmm… square,” the boy decided.

“How many teeth?”

“Three,” said Rodney. “Because Torren is three. I… I seem to remember my mother doing that when Jeannie and I were little— We _did_ have Halloween in Canada, you know.”

“I’m sure you did, Rodney,” said John, with a look that said, _We’ll talk about this later_. “So, three teeth?”

“Three, Uncle John,” said Torren.

“Okay.” John finished drawing the outline, then paused. “T.J., buddy, can you do something for me, while I’m cutting the pumpkin? Can you give Uncle Rodney a really big, really long hug, from both of us?”

“I don’t need—” Rodney began, but he caught Torren automatically, and let the toddler squeeze as hard as he could. “Thanks, Torren.”

It took John a few minutes to carve the face into the blue alien vegetable, then lit one the tea candles Teyla had given them and set it inside. The effect wasn’t quite as impressive in broad daylight, but John didn’t think it had turned out too badly.

“Pun’kin face!” Torren cried happily, when he turned it to show them. “We do another, Uncle John?”

“Yes,” said Rodney, handing Torren to John and picking up the marker. “Let’s carve them all.”

John leaned over to kiss him, as Torren raced off to choose another not-quite-pumpkin. “Happy Halloween, McKay.”

Rodney smiled. “Yeah, it is.”

THE END


End file.
